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Who will be the SPD's new ministers?

Germany's Social Democrats are about to announce who will take on their six ministerial posts in Angela Merkel's next government. The SPD has pledged to install three men and three women in the new Cabinet.

Olaf Scholz is getting ready to be Germany's next finance minister

Rumors were pinging around inside Berlin's political bubble on Thursday as the junior partner in Chancellor Angela Merkel's centrist coalition government, the Social Democratic Party (SPD), prepared to announce the six people it would bestow with a ministerial post in the new Cabinet.

In the long and strenuous coalition negotiations, political pundits widely judged that the SPD had won some significant concessions from Merkel's conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which took significant losses in last September's election.

The SPD tanked just as badly in the election (both parties scored their worst results since World War II) and is desperate to renew its fortunes — and so is visibly straining to bring some fresh, dynamic figures into the Cabinet.

In the week leading up to the decision, the biggest question mark hung over one of the most prestigious of top jobs — the Foreign Ministry. Incumbent Sigmar Gabriel — who fell out of favor in the SPD after some unguarded criticism of the leadership — announced on Thursday that he would not be part of the new government. That left the post open for a variety of Social Democrat bigwigs to jostle over.

Scholz has been mayor of Hamburg since 2011

Most likely candidates

Finance Ministry

Hamburg Mayor Olaf Scholz is already considered the designated choice for the role. He has federal government experience: he was labor minister from 2007 to 2009 in Merkel's first tenure, before returning to Hamburg when the SPD was voted out for her second term. He is considered popular in the party, though he ran into a wall of criticism in Hamburg after rioting broke out in the city during the G20 summit last summer and police appeared to lose control of certain districts.

But he has a few points to prove: the Finance Ministry has been held by CDU veteran Wolfgang Schäuble since 2009, and the erstwhile Merkel rival has kept an iron grip on Germany's public purse. Schäuble virtually made a mantra of what Germans call "the black zero" — balancing accounts — and Scholz has already indicated he would stick to that fiscal conservatism, despite being a Social Democrat.

Foreign Ministry

Maas 'will do an excellent job,' according to Sigmar Gabriel, the outgoing foreign minister

Heiko Maas. Rumors abounded on Wednesday that SPD parliamentary leader Thomas Oppermann would take on the role (after all, he needed a reward for ceding his job to new SPD leader Andrea Nahles). But on Thursday, news magazine Der Spiegel — citing its secret sources in political circles — reported that current Justice Minister Heiko Maas would take on the role.

The 51-year-old Maas has implemented a number of high-profile new laws in the past four years, such as a controversial crackdown on hate speech. He "will do an excellent job," according to current Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, who was forced to answer questions about his successor at his last public appearance at the ministry on Thursday.

Barley was the SPD's general secretary from 2015 to 2017

Labor and Social Affairs Ministry

Katarina Barley is thought to be lined up as Germany's next labor minister.

The ministry is one of the most important roles in the German government, since the fact that it is responsible for social benefits means it commands the biggest budget of all ministries — some €130 billion ($160 billion).

Barley, daughter of a British former DW editor, has been family minister since last year, before which she was the SPD's general secretary.

Justice Ministry

Oppermann was reportedly considered as foreign minister

If Maas is to be the new foreign minister, Thomas Oppermann, also a lawyer by education, would likely take over the justice brief.

Oppermann has been a major SPD figure in Berlin since at least 2013, when he took over as the Social Democrats' parliamentary leader, which meant he often set out the SPD's position in Bundestag debates.

Family Ministry

Perhaps the most eye-catching appointment is the elevation of the mayor of the Berlin district Neukölln, Franziska Giffey, to the Cabinet as minister for family affairs, senior citizens, women and youth. It is very rare for a local politician to bypass the Bundestag completely to ascend to the Cabinet, and many consider her interest in social affairs makes her an apt choice.

Giffey has tried to make the Berlin district of Neukölln into a model of integration

Neukölln, whose northern part is home to many Arab and Turkish communities, is routinely described as "troubled" by Germany's white-dominated newsrooms. The 39-year-old Giffey has made a point of trying to turn the district into a model of integration. At the same time, she has announced a "zero tolerance" policy toward Lebanese organized crime networks in the district. She has also come out against teachers wearing headscarves in schools, considering hair-covering a "religious symbol."

Maybe also significant: Giffey could well be the only minister in the new Cabinet born in East Germany. In spite of Merkel's prominence, East Germans have consistently been underrepresented in Germany's political elite since reunification.

Environment Ministry

Schulze could be the next German environment minister

Incumbent Barbara Hendricks announced Wednesday that she would not be in the new government, making way to give the SPD a chance to install another fresh face.

If the party is to keep its promise of balancing men and women in its Cabinet positions, a favorite for the role is thought to be Svenja Schulze. Schulze, another relatively young newcomer, was previously minister for innovation, science and research in her native state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government

Chancellor: Angela Merkel (CDU)

The new chancellor will be the same as the old one: Christian Democrat (CDU) Angela Merkel. It will be her fourth term as leader of the German government and the third time she heads up a grand coalition between the CDU, its conservative Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), and the Social Democrats (SPD). It is also expected to be her last term as chancellor.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government

Chief of Staff at the Chancellery: Helge Braun (CDU)

Helge Braun, who is currently minister of state at the Chancellery, has been nominated by Merkel for the promotion to Chancellery head. He would take over from Peter Altmaier. Braun's rise within the body would ensure a certain continuity.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government

Minister of the Interior, Heimat and Construction: Horst Seehofer (CSU)

Seehofer, Bavaria's soon-to-be former state premier and chairman of the CSU, will head Germany's newly expanded Interior Ministry. This will be the first time that the vaguely patriotic "Heimat" concept (roughly "homeland") is included in a federal minister's domain. Bavaria, however, has had a state Heimat Ministry for five years.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government

The fight for the Foreign Ministry: Heiko Maas (SPD)

The most-talked about position in the upcoming Cabinet is that of foreign minister. After the SPD and CDU/CSU agreed on a policy blueprint, it became apparent that Sigmar Gabriel would not keep his position as head of the Foreign Ministry. He will be succeeded by former Justice Minister Heiko Maas.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government

Finance Minister: Olaf Scholz (SPD)

Scholz nomination for finance minister had been rumored for weeks. Currently the mayor of Hamburg, he is considered the high-level SPD politician with the most financial expertise. Scholz has been in Merkel's Cabinet once before, as minister of labor and social affairs from 2007 to 2009. The Finance Ministry's capture was a significant win for the SPD. Scholz will also serve as vice-chancellor.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government

Minister of Defense: Ursula von der Leyen (CDU)

Von der Leyen has been defense minister since 2013 and has now been tapped by Merkel to keep the job. This comes despite numerous scandals within the Bundeswehr, Germany's military, that broke since she took over the Defense Ministry. Her relationship with the troops has suffered, but Merkel trusts her. German media has speculated that Von der Leyen could be a potential successor to Merkel.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government

Economic and Energy Affairs Minister: Peter Altmaier (CDU)

Altmaier, currently Merkel's chief of staff at the Chancellery, has been nominated to take over the Economy Ministry. This would be the first time in more than 50 years that a CDU politician holds that post. Altmaier is regarded as extremely loyal to the chancellor. Questions of renewable energy and energy networks will also fall into Altmaier's portfolio.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government

Minister of Justice and Consumer Protection: Katarina Barley (SPD)

Heiko Maas was justice minister during the last government's term, but he's now taken over the reigns at the Foreign Ministry. Trained lawyer Katarina Barley will take on the post. She served as both minister of family affairs and minister of labor in 2017 as part of the previous government.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government

Minister of Labor and Social Affairs: Hubertus Heil (SPD)

Andrea Nahles will step down as labor minister to lead the SPD following Martin Schulz's decision to resign. Her successor, Hubertus Heil, was the surprise announcement when the SPD unveiled its Cabinet ministers. A member of the Bundestag since 1998, Heil has twice served as the party's secretary general.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government

Barbara Hendricks, Germany's outgoing minister for the environment, nature conservation and nuclear safety has reached retirement age. While she may well have liked to stay on in her job, the SPD leadership announced it was seeking a successor. Svenja Schulze will take over, having previously served as minister for innovation, science and research in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government

Minister for Health: Jens Spahn (CDU)

Merkel's nominee for health minister stands out: The 37-year-old Jens Spahn not only represents a new political generation within the CDU, but was also heavily critical of Merkel's welcoming policy toward refugees. In the last government he served as the parliamentary state secretary for the finance ministry, but prior to that he helped lead the CDU's health policy in the Bundestag.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government

Minister of Education and Research: Anja Karliczek (CDU)

Anja Karliczek, a former hotel manager who is relatively unknown, was nominated by Merkel to take over the Education Ministry. The new education minister will have a lot of money to spend: The ministry's budget was recently increased by €11 billion ($13.6 billion) to pay for school and university improvements, especially with respect to digitalization.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government

Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth.

Franziska Giffey's elevation from the mayor of Berlin's Neukölln district to Cabinet minister is perhaps the most eye-catching appointment. Giffey will bypass the Bundestag altogether to ascend into the government, but the SPD leadership believes her experience in charge of what has often been described as Berlin's "troubled" district makes her the most suitable candidate for the role.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government

Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development: Gerd Müller (CSU)

Gerd Müller, 62, has been tapped to retain his position as development minister, which he has held since December 2013. He won the job over fellow CSU member Dorothee Bär, who was also in the running. The CSU has thus chosen three men for its Cabinet posts, while Bär will become the state minister for digital affairs in the chancellery, a newly created job.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government

Scheuer, considered a close ally of CSU party head Seehofer, is to take the Transport Ministry. He has had experience in the area: From 2009 to 2013, he held the position of parliamentary state secretary in the Transport Ministry. Right now, he is the CSU's Secretary General.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government

Minister for Food and Agriculture: Julia Klöckner (CDU)

Klöckner has been tapped to head the Agriculture Ministry, where she worked as parliamentary state secretary from 2009 to 2011. She is currently a deputy federal chairwoman of her party and leads the CDU in the western German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Klöckner is the perfect candidate for Merkel, who has been called upon to assemble a younger and more female Cabinet this time around.